First Open Bible is a church within a much larger Christian community. There are many great churches in our area and our goal is to be one of them. The book of Acts teaches that God establishes our boundaries and the places in which we live. It takes all of us to reach the world. If you’re thinking about your place in the church, our core values will give you a feel for our heart. Maybe God has a place for you at Open Bible.

“Exalting God, Empowering His People.”

The good news is that Jesus has given to us choices that are eternal, not earned by our work but based on His. It’s called Grace. Amazing grace leads to amazing works and an amazing life (Ephesians 2:8-10). We will be missional in our efforts, seeping into the cracks and crevices of a society in order to be Christ to those who don’t know Him yet. (Matthew 28:18-20) (Luke 19:10)

We will exalt God as the author and giver of life and we will strive to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30). Any of us can get fixated on a certain style of worship as the most “authentic” or “anointed.” That’s why we need to respect heritage and history as well as be open to what the Holy Spirit is doing today. Our praise will be both expressive and reflective. Unity will be the key in a multigenerational expression that becomes a sweet sound in God’s ears and results in a genuine encounter for the worshipper.

Before we talk about the work of God, it’s essential to speak of our prayer life. We cannot lead people to godliness or experience the miraculous when we are not regularly encountering God. We can’t give away what we don’t have and the Bible tells us that “we have not because we ask not.” If we are going to do great things for God we must spend quality time with God. Prayer unleashes the blessing and it will be a focal point in everything that we do.

We won’t shy away from words and processes that have timeless value. Jesus commissioned the Church to “make disciples” (followers). We will strive to equip followers through preaching and teaching in our gatherings, mentoring and resourcing in the small group setting, and through personal experience in ministry related settings. Our goal is spiritual integrity not human intelligence. We believe that spiritual integrity is marked by an extraordinary and consistent trust and confidence in God in spite of what life throws our way. The entire Old Testament is the story of God saying, “Trust me.” The entire New Testament is the story of God saying, “follow me.” Together we learn, trust, and follow.

We strongly believe that Christians have a personal and Biblical mandate to go and send (plant and water). The Apostle Paul said in (1 Corinthians 3:6-8) that some plant and others water,…then God brings the growth. To this end we will embrace the model of the early church by both planting and watering. We’ll also have a strong emphasis on city, county, state, U.S. and world missions through our serving and giving and will provide opportunities for individuals to participate in mercy ministries, global short term mission trips, and other outreach projects as needs arise. (John 20:20-21)

Genuine faith always expresses itself in creating strategic partnerships and meeting need within our Church community and outside our walls. We have a passion for service to our neighbor because we are compelled by the love Christ has shown us (2 Corinthians 5:14-17) Gratitude does not just look up, it shows up. We will be visible in our neighborhoods and beyond. We will partner with churches, ministries, civic organizations, social services, and governmental leaders to lend a hand and help to make our world a better place.

Our leadership model is not based on a singular personality but a plurality of leadership. Our desire is to model “team” at our leadership level for a church that will be made up of people teaming together for the sake of the Gospel. This team will be diverse and will allow leaders to learn while leading. Jesus wasn’t looking for leaders he could turn into servants. He was looking for servants who would be willing to develop into leaders. Leadership development and empowerment is essential in growing churches.

Our goal is to develop a family culture within our church from top to bottom that encourages dialogue, attentiveness, humility, connectedness, shared values, and respect. The Church and family were meant to work in unison, making sure nobody is left alone and that everybody has a place at the table. We’ll always be a family church with a strong multigenerational presence. We will be a church with a rich heritage, known as a family of believers that is engaged in what God is doing in this generation and the ones to come (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

One marker of faith is that we are givers of our time and resource. We believe that any gift must come from a willing heart, not out of compulsion, and with no strings attached other than love for people and love for God. Our investment of tithe and offering is not in an organization but in people. When you love God you invest in people and in His kingdom. If we are open handed, God will be as well
(Proverbs 11:24-25).

We are an Acts 2 full gospel church that believes in the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit balanced by the Word of God and a sensitivity to those around us. We believe God still speaks to the church, heals the sick, and sets captives free. We pray for one another, we listen to one another, and we have a bold faith in the power of God’s mercy and love. We want people to feel more than religion when they walk through the doors of our church. We want them to feel life!